Daybreak came and the howls slowly receded further into the rolling dunes. She cautiously started moving about, still wary, ears pricked, listening for the claws and swishing tails, low growls that paced about all night before. The desert sands were heating up while she still shivered, numb with ebbing adrenaline.
Groaning, she sat up slowly, grimacing as her dusty clothes rubbed against raw skin. It was time to bathe, which meant it was time to move again.
This cave was the only protective region for several miles. The only source of running water, an oasis, was several miles from that.
The problem arises in the painfully obvious: that she wasn't the only creature who ever tried to seek water. It is imbued in every living organism... even those who not only thirsted for water, but for blood.
To wish for comfort is to abandon safety. This is the problem she faced in wake and sleep.
This is her reality.
